NBA History: 25 former NBA stars you forgot dominated the league
By Cal Durrett
9) Larry Johnson
Former number one overall pick Larry Johnson was an extremely talented player over the first few seasons of his career before a back injury quickly derailed it. Johnson helped the original Charlotte Hornets find success in the early 1990s, with Johnson making two all-star teams with the franchise. Despite being an undersized power forward, his strength and explosiveness made him a major threat, not only as a scorer but as a rebounder and playmaker.
Over his first five seasons in the NBA, Johnson averaged a terrific 19.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. However, he was traded to the New York Knicks and his career quickly entered a new phase. After being one of the better players in the NBA, a lingering back injury forced him to become more of a role player.
To his credit, he still managed to be relatively effective and help the Knicks make an improbable run to the 1999 NBA Finals, but he was forced to retire after just 10 seasons at the age of 31. Unfortunately for Johnson, those who weren't fans of the NBA back in the early to mid-90s likely don't remember him and if they do then they certainly don't remember him as being one of the better players in the league.